Crafting Your Advocacy Message for the Media

Amy Houtrow, MD, MPHand

Lisa Thornton, MD

AdvocacyThe act or process of supporting a cause or proposalThe act of taking the problems that one faces day to day and pursuing their resolution outside their usual place of presentation Advocacy seeks to change upstream factors - laws, regulations, policies, and institutional practices

Media AdvocacyDisseminating advocacy relevant information through the media

PrintOnlineRadio

Television

Aims

Affect actionIncrease awareness

Change or affect policy decisionsProvide a different perspectiveHighlight issues and solutions

Types of Planned Media Advocacy

Press ReleasesLetters to the EditorCommentariesOpinion piecesInterviewsEmail blastsWeb postings

Types of Unplanned Media Advocacy

Commentating on a breaking storyProviding expert

informationBeing asked to give

a statement

You Can Be an Advocacy Star

Media Advocacy StepsMake sure your issue is newsworthyChoose the right venueFrame your messageCreate media materialPrepare the media spokespersonEngage the media

NewsworthyFollow current events to determine what the community and news agencies are interested inAsk yourself

Does my issue seem relevant to the community?Do I have a hook?Can I put a human face on my issue?Who and how many people are impacted?How does my issue relate to current events?What is new and interesting about my issue?Is there conflict, intrigue or opposition to my issue?

The Right Venue

The messageYour resourcesExperienceComfortTarget audience

Framing Your MessageFirst, know how the media has been framing your issueThen, identify how you can shed new light on the issue

Offer solutionsUse sound bites

Short and catchy1-2 sentences Gets the point acrossHelps identify the most important point

Create Media MaterialsThe Press Packet

The issueThe perspectiveThe solutionYour organization

Fact SheetsBusiness cards

Photos and biosImportant research

The Right Person for the JobThe spokesperson needs to

Be well versed in the content

Know the sound bites and important pointsCool under pressure

Be able to highlight the community connectionSpeak clearly

Be able to handle questions under pressureBe skilled at reframing

Utilize people’s strengths

Engage the MediaDon’t wait for the media to contact youEstablish a relationship with your institution’s media representativeMake the first contactHave information in hand to pass alongOffer to comment on current issuesOffer a different or unique perspective to the one the dominates in the media

Maintain Your Media RelationshipFollow up

Send a thank you note

Business cardsFact Sheets

Offer your services for the futurePass along relevant information to your media contactBe seen as the expert

Media Advocacy Venues

Press ReleaseLetter to the EditorOpinion PieceCommentaryInterview –print, radio, televisionInternet and e-mail

Press ReleasesGives reporters and editors the basics of who, what, where, when and whyStandard format

Organization’s nameContact informationRelease dateHeadlineBody

First paragraph should be the most powerfulUse quotesKeep it simpleUse a tag at the end

Letter to the Editor

Simple and effective

Keep it short –within the typical length (250-300 words) of what the paper published to keep it from getting tossed or slashed

Refer to other articles in the paperBe concise

Give contact information

Opinion PieceFor the opinion editorial page of paper

Op-ed

Opportunity to provide an extended argument or rationaleNeed to be timely, topical and focused for the readershipObtain the paper’s guidelines

Usually 700-800 words

Meet with the editorBe ready to sell your issue and yourself

CommentaryWritten commentary for journals is usually requested/solicited

Opportunity to take the readership past the results presented in the study

Can frame the issue and highlight the importance of certain aspects of the research

Format dictated by the journal

Shorter commentaries can take the form of a letter to the editor

InterviewsFamiliarize your local options – morning and evening news shows, talk shows, local papers and radio stationsMake the first contact to the host or producerPrepare for live versus taped interviews and find out if there will be call in questions or whether you will get the questions in advancePrepare prepare prepare

Keys to a Good InterviewAssume that everything is on the recordSpeak in a clear and audible toneDon’t get defensiveBe concise Avoid jargonState your main points firstReiterate the important points

Keys to a Good InterviewDress the part

Avoid solid black or white and/or loud or striped clothingConsider wearing a lab coat if that is what you wear to work

Look at the interviewerDon’t stare into the camera unless instructed to do so

Avoid excess body movementsSit uprightUse facial expressionsLimit hand movementsDon’t rock or wiggle

The Internet

EmailList-servesInformation on email signature

A vast frontierBlogsOnline news agenciesFast and breaking news

“If you don’t exist in the media, for all

practical purposes, you don’t exist.”

Daniel SchorrNational Public Radio